Brandon Ingram facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brandon Ingram

Ingram with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020
No. 3 – Toronto Raptors
Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1997-09-02) September 2, 1997 (age 27) Kinston, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	Kinston (Kinston, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College	Duke (2015–2016)
NBA Draft	2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Pro career	2016–present
League	NBA
Career history
2016–2019	Los Angeles Lakers
2019–2025	New Orleans Pelicans
2025–present	Toronto Raptors
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (2020) NBA Most Improved Player (2020) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2017) AP Honorable Mention All-American (2016) Second-team All-ACC (2016) ACC Rookie of the Year (2016) McDonald's All-American (2015) First-team Parade All-American (2015) North Carolina Mr. Basketball (2015)

Brandon Xavier Ingram, born on September 2, 1997, is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Los Angeles Lakers picked him second overall in the 2016 NBA draft. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Later, he joined the New Orleans Pelicans. In 2020, he became an NBA All-Star and was named the NBA Most Improved Player.

Ingram had a very successful high school career in North Carolina. He helped his team win state championships every year for four years. He was also named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball. He played one year of college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. There, he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year. After that season, Ingram decided to join the NBA draft. He played three seasons with the Lakers before being traded to New Orleans in 2019.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Brandon Ingram was born on September 2, 1997, in Kinston, North Carolina. His parents are Donald and Joann Ingram. He has two older half-siblings, Donovan and Brittany. Brandon's father, Donald, used to play semi-pro basketball. He also played pickup games with a young Jerry Stackhouse, who later became an NBA star.

Brandon grew up in Kinston, a town with a high crime rate. But he stayed focused on basketball. His older brother, Donovan, taught him a lot about the game. Donovan played college basketball himself. When Brandon was in eighth grade, Jerry Stackhouse became his coach for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. These influences helped Brandon improve his game a lot. His father, who was a referee, made sure Brandon learned the rules well.

Brandon played all four years of his high school career at Kinston High School. He helped his team win four state championships in a row.

High School Basketball Success

During his first year at Kinston High, Brandon started on the bench. But his role on the team grew quickly. In his freshman year, his team, the Kinston Vikings, won the 2012 NCHSAA 2-A state championship. They beat Cuthbertson High School by three points.

As a sophomore, Kinston won the state title again against Cuthbertson. Brandon averaged 12.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Before his junior year, Brandon showed great improvement playing AAU basketball. College coaches started to notice him a lot.

Ingram in the 2015 McDonald's All-American Game

In his junior year, Brandon led the Kinston Vikings to their third straight state title. He scored 28 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the championship game. That season, he averaged 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game. He was named the Eastern Regional Most Valuable Player (MVP). He also earned MVP honors at the Norman Parker Showcase.

As a senior, Brandon averaged 24.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. He led the Vikings to a 26–4 record. In his final high school game, he was named MVP of the state championship. He scored 28 points, had 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. This win made him the first male basketball player to win four straight NCHSAA championships. Kinston High also became the first Class 2A school in North Carolina to achieve this.

After his senior season, Brandon played in the 2015 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. He scored 15 points and had five rebounds. He was considered one of the best high school players in the 2015 class. ESPN and Scout ranked him as the No. 3 overall recruit. He was named North Carolina's Mr. Basketball. On April 27, 2015, he announced he would attend Duke University.

College Basketball at Duke

Brandon Ingram started his college career at Duke. In his first game, he scored 15 points. In his second game, he scored 21 points to help Duke win the 2K Sports Classic. Duke was ranked fifth in the nation early in the season.

In December 2015, Brandon had a great five-game stretch. He averaged 21.2 points and 8.8 rebounds. He scored 24 points and 6 rebounds in a win over Indiana. He also scored 23 points against Buffalo. For these efforts, he earned his first ACC Rookie of the Week award.

On December 12, 2015, Brandon scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Georgia Southern. In January 2016, he blocked a career-high 6 shots against Virginia Tech. He also scored 25 points and had 9 rebounds in his ACC debut against Boston College. He was named ACC Rookie of the Week four times.

In February 2016, Brandon helped Duke end a three-game losing streak by scoring 25 points against NC State. He also helped Duke win against ranked teams like Louisville and Virginia. In a close game against rival North Carolina, Brandon scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. This helped Duke win by one point.

In the 2016 NCAA tournament, Duke was a fourth seed. They won their first two games but lost in the Sweet 16 to Oregon. Brandon scored 24 points in that game. In 36 games for Duke, he averaged 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. He shot 44.2% from the field and 41.0% from three-point range. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year. On April 4, 2016, Brandon decided to enter the 2016 NBA draft.

Professional NBA Career

Los Angeles Lakers (2016–2019)

On June 23, 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers picked Brandon Ingram as the second overall player in the 2016 NBA draft. He was only 18 years old, making him one of the youngest players drafted that year. He signed his first contract with the Lakers on August 23, 2016.

Brandon made his NBA debut on October 26, 2016. He scored nine points in a win against the Houston Rockets. On November 23, in his first start, he scored a career-high 16 points. He later scored 17 points twice in December. On December 17, he almost got a triple-double (double-digits in three stats: points, rebounds, and assists) with nine points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.

During the NBA All-Star Weekend, he played in the Rising Stars Challenge. On February 26, 2017, he scored 22 points, his first time reaching 20 points in a game. At the end of the season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

In the 2017 NBA Summer League, Brandon scored 26 points in his first game. On October 20, 2017, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Phoenix Suns. On November 15, he scored 26 points and had a career-best 11 rebounds. On November 29, he scored a new career-high of 32 points. On December 7, he scored 21 points, including the game-winning three-pointer, to help the Lakers win. He played in the Rising Stars Challenge again in 2018.

In March 2018, Brandon had to miss games due to a groin strain. He returned briefly but then missed the rest of the season due to a neck injury. In the 2018–19 season, he was suspended for four games after a fight. He also missed games with a sprained ankle. On January 17, 2019, he had a career-high 11 assists. On January 29, he scored a career-high 36 points. On March 9, he was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his arm.

New Orleans Pelicans (2019–2025)

On July 6, 2019, the Lakers traded Brandon Ingram to the New Orleans Pelicans. This trade also included other players and draft picks. On November 4, 2019, Brandon scored a career-high 40 points. On January 16, 2020, he scored even more, reaching 49 points in an overtime win against the Utah Jazz. He became an NBA All-Star in his first year with the Pelicans. He was also named the NBA Most Improved Player. He averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game that season. In the 2020 offseason, Brandon signed a five-year contract with the Pelicans.

On December 3, 2021, Brandon had a career-high 12 assists, along with 24 points and eight rebounds. Two days later, he scored a season-high 40 points. On January 11, 2022, he scored 33 points and hit a game-winning three-pointer against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the 2022 NBA playoffs, he played very well. In Game 2 against the Phoenix Suns, he scored 37 points, had 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. He averaged 27.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in that series. In June 2022, he had surgery on his right pinky finger.

On March 24, 2023, Brandon achieved his first NBA triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. On March 30, he got another triple-double with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He became one of only two players in Pelicans history to have multiple games with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. On April 9, 2023, he scored a season-high 42 points and had 12 rebounds.

On February 6, 2024, Brandon scored 41 points, had nine rebounds, and six assists in a big win over the Toronto Raptors. He made NBA history by being the first player to have at least 40 points, eight or more three-pointers, shoot at least 75% from the field, and not have any turnovers in a game.

On December 8, 2024, Brandon sprained his left ankle. This was his last game for the Pelicans.

Toronto Raptors (2025–present)

On February 6, 2025, Brandon Ingram was traded to the Toronto Raptors. This trade involved other players and draft picks. On February 12, he signed a new three-year contract extension with the Raptors. However, he was officially ruled out for the rest of the season on April 9, 2025, to help his ankle recover.

Playing Style

Brandon Ingram is 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) tall and weighs 196 pounds (89 kg). He mainly plays as a small forward. He has very long arms, with a 7-foot-3-inch (2.21 m) wingspan. This helps him shoot over defenders and block shots. Many people compare his playing style to NBA superstar Kevin Durant. Brandon has said he tries to learn from Durant's game. Like Durant, Brandon has been noted for his slim build. However, coaches say he is strong, not soft. In his first year, his coach used him as a "point forward," which means he helped start the team's offense.

Off the Court

When Brandon was a kid, he loved fishing with his grandmother at Atlantic Beach. He has signed endorsement deals with companies like Adidas Basketball and Speed Stick. He also worked with an artist for a campaign called "Beyond the Court." This campaign showed his passion for art. Brandon's interest in art started with drawing basketball players and cartoon characters. He even took a portrait drawing class in college.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Awards and Honors

NBA Achievements

• NBA All-Star (2020)
• NBA Most Improved Player (2020)
• 2× Rising Stars Challenge (2017, 2018)
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2017)

College Achievements

• Associated Press Honorable Mention (2016)
• ACC Rookie of the Year (2016)

High School Achievements

• 4× NCHSAA champion (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
• North Carolina Mr. Basketball (2015)
• McDonald's All-American (2015)
• First-team Parade All-American (2015)
• Nike Hoop Summit (2015)

See also

In Spanish: Brandon Ingram para niños